What's better than soft, doughy pastry? Not too much--except for pastry stuffed with great fillings! And that's exactly what this dish provides.
Its name is a börek (sometimes called burek), and it's one of the tastiest savory treats around. The börek is Turkish in origin, although similar items can be found in Greece and Lebanon. It's usually filled with cheese and spinach, although sometimes contains meat or even sweet fillings. Here, I went the traditional route with spinach and non-dairy cheese, but also added some sweet potato and sauerkraut to zest up the flavor profile.
Böreks make a great breakfast or snack. They're nice to serve at parties or bring to potlucks, and they're surprisingly easy to throw together.
If you're looking for a simple meal that allows for optimal customization, then this börek is the recipe for you.
YIELDS
4 servings
PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME
- 12 sheets (or more if needed) vegan phyllo dough
- 1 cup, packed fresh spinach
- 1 medium roasted sweet potato
- 1 small head roasted garlic
- 1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
- 1/4 cup sauerkraut
- 1/2 tablespoon non-dairy butter, melted
Directions
*To save time, pre-roast your sweet potato and garlic for about 45 minutes at 400ºF.
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Grease a baking sheet and lay 2 sheets of phyllo across vertically, then 2 more horizontally.
3. Place spinach evenly across dough, then repeat layering process with 4 more sheets of phyllo.
4. In a small dish, mash together peeled garlic and sweet potato, then spread gently onto second layer of dough.
5. Top with vegan cheese and sauerkraut.
6. Finish up the pastry by layering the remaining sheets of phyllo.
7. Lightly wet edges of pastry and fold them in slightly so that börek takes round shape around fillings.
8. Brush with butter.
9. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
10. Remove from oven, slice into quarters and serve.
1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
2. Grease a baking sheet and lay 2 sheets of phyllo across vertically, then 2 more horizontally.
3. Place spinach evenly across dough, then repeat layering process with 4 more sheets of phyllo.
4. In a small dish, mash together peeled garlic and sweet potato, then spread gently onto second layer of dough.
5. Top with vegan cheese and sauerkraut.
6. Finish up the pastry by layering the remaining sheets of phyllo.
7. Lightly wet edges of pastry and fold them in slightly so that börek takes round shape around fillings.
8. Brush with butter.
9. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown.
10. Remove from oven, slice into quarters and serve.
Also by Quincy: Vegan Vietnamese Pan-Fried Noodles
Related: Savory Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Palmiers
Vegan "Everything Bagel" Kale Chips
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Photos: Quincy Malesovas
